Farming has been a part of Allen Weeks’ life for as long as he can remember. Thursday, Weeks’ family was honored as the “Farm Family of the Year” at the annual farmers appreciation banquet in the multipurpose room of Opp Middle School.

“It’s a great privilege and a tremendous honor,” Weeks said. “It’s one of those things you don’t really think about, but then when you get it it’s just a tremendous honor to have bestowed upon you.”

More than 200 attended the event, which honored farmers and thanked them for their contributions to the local economy and culture.

“Some of the finest people in the world are here tonight,” said Dr. Steve Boothe, who presented the “Farm Family of the Year” plaque to weeks and his family. “I applaud all of you to the everyday commitment to the vocation you love.”

Weeks is a fourth-generation farmer who grew up on his family’s dairy farm. He joined his father on the farm after high school, and has helped to change the operation from dairy to row crops — peanuts, soybeans and corn — and several beef cows.

“It’s all I’ve ever known and it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” Weeks said. “It’s just become a way of life, enjoying the outdoors and living in the country. It’s a wonderful feeling to watch the calves grow up and see the crops flourish.”

Weeks has been married for 20 years to the former Christy Turner of Dothan. They have two children — a son, Nick, who is 18 years old and a senior at Kinston High School, and a daughter, Madison, who is 13 years old and a seventh grader at Kinston Middle School.

Nick Weeks plays baseball at KHS and plans to join his father on the farm after college.

“I love being involved on the farm,” he said. “It’s all I’ve ever loved and known, and I’ve always known that I want to be a farmer as well.”

Nick Weeks added that he sometimes have friends who ask him why he would want to be a farmer, rather than a job in business or some other profession.

“I always tell those guys, ‘You know, if it wasn’t for us farmers, y’all wouldn’t have any food on the table,” he said.

Allen Weeks said he is proud that Nick wants to be a part of the fifth generation of farmers in the family.

“I always tell (Nick) that to be a successful farmer, you’ve got to have hard work and honesty,” Weeks said. “I’m happy that my family gets a chance to share in this award. They are everything to me.”

Weeks has been operating the farm for the last 27 years. In that time, he has increased his row crops to 500 acres, 400 of which are irrigated. His farm also has 300 head of brood cows, 80 acres of hay and 700 acres of timber.

Weeks has received several other awards in the past due to his farming, including the “Coffee County Peanut Producer of the Year” numerous times and the “Soil Conservation Farm of Distinction Award” in 1990.